The Bachelorette star Kaitlyn Bristowe eliminated three bachelors during the eleventh season's sixth broadcast on ABC.
|
ADVERTISEMENT
|
Monday night's episode also ended on a cliffhanger in which Ian Thomson, a 28-year-old executive recruiter from Los Angeles, CA, was insulting Kaitlyn and trying to quit the show because he knew she wasn't really interested in him.
The Bachelorette broadcast began with Tanner Tolbert, a 28-year-old auto finance manager from Kansas City, MO, grilling Nick Viall, a 34-year-old software sales executive from Waukesha, WI, about his intentions for coming on the show again. Tanner noted the guys knew his reputation and had read all the tabloids about how he had reunited with Andi Dorfman and what not.
Nick told the group he wished he had appeared on Kaitlyn's season from Day 1 like everybody else. He also explained he had met Andi to "bury the hatchet" and he realized he was over that relationship.
Tanner just questioned why Nick kept going for girls on TV. Nick replied that Kaitlyn was "a pretty cool chick" and he didn't take advantage of the limelight once he got off Andi's season -- he just returned to his normal life of selling software.
Joshua Albers, a 31-year-old industrial welder from Kuna, ID, barked at Nick by asking if Kaitlyn was "a cool chick" or an "amazing woman." Nick wasn't affected by Joshua calling him out. Instead, Nick said Kaitlyn was both cool and amazing, and he didn't see anything wrong with his word choice.
Jared Haibon, a 26-year-old restaurant manager from Warwick, RI, then stepped up to the plate and asked Nick why he wanted to go through The Bachelorette process again. Nick said he didn't want to sit at home and wait for Kaitlyn to come home in love and engaged. Nick insisted it was important for him to at least meet Kaitlyn and get to know her better.
Nick expressed how he wasn't expecting any of the guys to care or worry about his problems. He just wanted the group to respect why he was there. He said he didn't come for the firing squad; He came for Kaitlyn.
"I don't like it; I don't like it all," Joshua told the cameras.
Ben Zorn, a 26-year-old fitness coach from San Jose, CA, didn't seem to have a real issue with Nick except for the fact he probably had a leg up in the competition -- from a connection standpoint -- having conversed with Kaitlyn on the phone prior to the show.
Shawn Booth, a 28-year-old personal trainer from Windsor Locks, CT, found himself "pumping the brakes" and putting his guard back up because of Kaitlyn's desire to bring Nick onboard. Ben Z. and Shawn had trouble figuring out why Kaitlyn would need another guy in the mix if she found anyone to be enough.
At the cocktail party, Joe said in a confessional a lot of the guys were upset about Nick and questioning Kaitlyn. Kaitlyn was afraid some of the guys were going to leave. Shawn, for example, was talking himself out of his strong feelings for Kaitlyn.
RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELORETTE' COUPLES NOWShawn then broached the topic of Nick with Kaitlyn. He admitted he had taken two steps back. Kaitlyn reminded Shawn how strong she felt about their connection from Day 1 and Nick wasn't taking away from anything they had, but Shawn insisted Nick was "full of bullsh-t" and he wished she could see that.
Shawn confessed Kaitlyn's words weren't matching up with her actions, and then she cried. He wasn't sure he could trust Kaitlyn, and she wanted that so badly from the men, saying her "worst nightmare" was coming true.
The season's fourth Rose Ceremony then commenced. Kaitlyn gave a rose to Ben Higgins, a 26-year-old software salesman from Denver, CO; Ben Z.; Shawn B.; Tanner; Joe Bailey, a 28-year-old insurance agent from Columbia, KY; Ian; JJ Lane, a 32-year-old former investment banker from Denver, CO; Joshua; and finally Nick.
Kaitlyn's decision sent Jonathan, Corey and Ryan B. packing. Her choice to keep Nick around made her "nauseous" because she was so concerned about hurting the guys that were there for her from the beginning. However, she convinced herself she had to listen to her heart. Kaitlyn was looking for someone to spend the rest of her life with and she felt it was necessary to exhausted every possibility.
The entire group then headed to San Antonio, TX, for the week of dates. Shawn called Nick "arrogant and pompous," saying he needed to go home. Shawn hoped Kaitlyn would figure out Nick's true intentions that week.
Ben H. got the week's first one-on-one date. Kaitlyn had them enter a two-stepping competition at the oldest dance hall in Texas called Gruene. Although nervous, they got more and more comfortable as the dancing went on. She thought he was fun and their connection was natural. Kaitlyn admitted they had taken "a couple steps forward" in her relationship with Ben H. that day. She also thought he was "so handsome."
Meanwhile, the other guys learned who would be accompanying Kaitlyn on the next group date. They were Justin Reich a 28-year-old fitness trainer from Naperville, IL; Jared; Chris Strandburg, a 28-year-old dentist from Nashville, TN; Ian; Tanner; Joe; JJ; Ben Z.; Joshua and Nick.
The announcement left Shawn with a one-on-one date, and he was absolutely thrilled. It was impossible for him to hold back his excitement and he was so relieved.
ADVERTISEMENT
Kaitlyn asked Ben H. if he was ready for a serious commitment, and he said he appreciated her and would want to be with her as soon as possible because she was so great. Kaitlyn felt closer to Ben H. after he shared his emotions with her and then she gave him a rose. He really cared about her, and they both felt lucky to be with one another.
Kaitlyn said Ben H. was the exact person she wanted to be with in that very moment.
The next day, 10 guys embarked on their group date with Kaitlyn. Joshua said it was "a bummer" Nick had to be there because it "totally changed the atmosphere." Nick was just excited to see Kaitlyn and missed embarrassing himself on group dates.
For the date, the suitors had to write and perform a Mariachi song for Kaitlyn in front of a live audience. Kaitlyn wanted to see Ian relax and have fun. She was wondering if he had any sense of humor at all. Ian talked himself up as being an amazing singer, but once again, he choked once he got in front of people.
Nick then one-upped the other guys by escorting Kaitlyn to the balcony, where he wanted to perform his song for her. She worried the guys were going to think Nick was "cocky" because of his confident and straight-forward demeanor.
On the contrary, Nick thought the guys were being super cool to him except for Joshua. Nick said he didn't have a problem with Joshua. Kaitlyn was hoping the guys had moved on from the Nick situation and things would go back to normal.
Later that night on the group date, Joshua was trying to tell Kaitlyn a relationship was based on trust. Because he trusted Kaitlyn so much, he allowed her to cut his hair, which turned out to be a disaster. All the guys laughed at him and confessed he "looked like sh-t."
Nick then talked to Kaitlyn and told her that she had a great group of guys fighting for her heart because no one had been rude -- at least to his face. That didn't apply to Joshua, however, whom JJ described as a ticking time bomb ready to explode.
Joshua's "male intuition" told him something just wasn't right about Nick and he wasn't a fan, no matter what Nick had to say. Ian told the cameras Josh's desire to be honest and truthful with Kaitlyn about Nick might hurt him in the end.
Josh then brought up the conversation with Kaitlyn, telling her that Nick talked nonstop about his last season and the dates he went on. He also insisted none of the guys were comfortable with Nick being around and no one liked him.
Kaitlyn, who assumed all the guys were happy again, was shocked at this news because that meant people were lying to her face. Joshua said the guys probably didn't want to look like weasels by throwing another man under the bus.
Kaitlyn was pissed off and started questioning everybody. Joshua later lied to the guys, saying he was being interviewed when everyone knew he was talking to Kaitlyn one-on-one. Kaitlyn then addressed the group and revealed Joshua had said no one was being honest with her. No one spoke up in Joshua's defense, so he looked stupid.
ADVERTISEMENT
When Joshua expressed disappointment in his friends, the guys called him out for lying about being interviewed. Joshua said he didn't want to make people feel bad for talking to Kaitlyn twice when some people hadn't even had their first round yet.
JJ said in a confessional the only liar in the room was the guy accusing everyone of being liars. Justin noted that Joshua felt differently from a lot of guys in the house, so it wasn't his place to speak on their behalf.
Kaitlyn then picked up the group-date rose and handed it to Nick. Kaitlyn made a huge statement by doing that because she was saying she felt he was there for the right reasons and she trusted him. Taken aback, Nick confessed it was likely he'd fall in love with her.
The following day, Shawn got his one-on-one date with Kaitlyn and they went kayaking. He felt "crazy strong feelings for her already," and she owned up to experiencing the fastest connection with him ever. She was attracted to him the second he stepped out of the limo. Shawn was hoping the date would cement their bond.
Kaitlyn liked everything about Shawn -- from the sound of his voice to the way he smelled. She called him "such a babe." Shawn told Kaitlyn he hadn't felt that way about a girl in a long time and he always wanted to be honest and open with her.
While they chatted after kayaking, Shawn insisted Joshua was coming from a good place with his concerns and most of the guys were probably scared to speak up. Shawn felt confident in what they had after the day portion of their date.
That night, Shawn and Kaitlyn sat by a fire and he opened up even more. Shawn said he needed to wake up from this dream because he was so happy, and then he revealed he had been in a horrible car accident that almost ended his life. Shawn's near-death experience made him so thankful for everything -- especially for the moments he was enjoying with Kaitlyn.
Shawn allowed himself to be vulnerable with Kaitlyn, and as he was holding his tears back, he said, "I am falling in love with you."
Kaitlyn said in a confessional that Shawn's words felt like her husband was saying them to her for the first time. She noted there weren't any walls up between them anymore, and then she gave Shawn a rose. Shawn said that being with Kaitlyn was where he was meant to be, and everything in his life led up to that moment. He felt great and Kaitlyn reciprocated such feelings. Afterward, the pair enjoyed a fireworks display.
"He could be the guy I give my final rose to," Kaitlyn told the cameras.
Meanwhile, Ian said in a confessional he felt he was flying under the radar. He said women really like him and that was never an issue for him. However, he wasn't being liked by the girl he was trying to impress. Ian didn't understand why Kaitlyn wouldn't want him, considering he's a Princeton graduate and former model who defied death and traveled the world.
ADVERTISEMENT
"I don't find Kaitlyn interested. I don't think that's something wrong with me. I think that's something wrong with her. I'm tired of rejection at every corner of this situation and I want to go home," Ian said.
At the next cocktail party, Ian told the cameras Kaitlyn couldn't handle the truth because "she's half as hot" as his ex-girlfriend. While he was planning to dump her, Jared was falling in love with her.
Kaitlyn and Jared got some alone time, and Kaitlyn confessed to feeling extremely comfortable and safe with him. Jared said what they shared was "special" and unique.
"I do feel like I'm falling in love with you," she told Jared.
Kaitlyn replied with a smile, "That makes me really happy."
Meanwhile, Ian was losing his patience. He said Kaitlyn not wanting him defied all of his logic. He bragged about how he meets a lot of girls and has a lot of sex. Ian explained he's got a good job, education, charisma, brains and looks -- and so he didn't understand what could make him more impressive to Kaitlyn.
"I could be the Bachelor. I think I am a very eligible bachelor in this country and in this world. I am an enigma, and who I am is a gift that you unwrap for life," Ian said in a confessional.
Ian then pulled Kaitlyn aside to drop the bomb on her. He explained everyone on the show was there for a vacation, but he was competing to find love and a wife. Ian noted he had been trying to break through the surface-level stuff -- as the other guys were making immature fart, sex and poop jokes in their free time -- because he found himself to be a deep person.
Ian then told Kaitlyn the process wasn't working for him, that he expected to meet the girl devastated by Chris Soules -- not the girl who wanted her fields plowed. Ian still felt Kaitlyn was the latter, and Kaitlyn's face clearly had "offended" written all over it.
"I feel like you are here to make out with a bunch of dudes on TV. And bringing Nick in, I don't question his intentions, I question your intentions. I really see you as a surface-level person at this stage and I wonder if you are really that shallow, because I don't see anything beyond the surface," Ian told her.
Kaitlyn nodded her head in disgust and then the episode ended.
About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski
